The influence of aetiology on the benefits of exercise training in patients with heart failure.

Background Exercise training improves neurovascular control and functional capacity in heart failure (HF) patients. However, the influence of the aetiology on these benefits is unknown. We compared the effects of exercise training on neurovascular control and functional capacity in idiopathic, ischaemic and hypertensive HF patients.

Muscle electrical stimulation improves neurovascular control and exercise tolerance in hospitalised advanced heart failure patients.

Background: We investigated the effects of muscle functional electrical stimulation on muscle sympathetic nerve activity and muscle blood flow, and, in addition, exercise tolerance in hospitalised patients for stabilisation of heart failure.

Methods: Thirty patients hospitalised for treatment of decompensated heart failure, class IV New York Heart Association and ejection fraction ≤ 30% were consecutively randomly assigned into two groups: functional electrical stimulation (n = 15; 54 ± 2 years) and control (n = 15; 49 ± 2 years). Muscle sympathetic nerve activity was directly recorded via microneurography and blood flow by venous occlusion plethysmography.